Adjustable shower head

ABSTRACT

A SHOWER HEAD VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE AS TO HEIGHT WITHIN A RANGE FOR USE BY CHILDREN AND TALL ADULTS WHICH INCLUDES AN ELONGATED CASING HAVING AN ELONGATED SLOT FOR PROJECTING SHOWER HEAD IN ITS SIDEWALL WHICH FACES THE REAR OF THE SHOWER STALL SO THAT THE CASING AS VIEWED FROM THE FRONT OF THE SHOWER STALL PRESENTS AN UNBROKEN ATTRACTIVE APPERANCE, EXTENDABL AND RETRACTABLE TAPE MEANS MOVABLE WITH THE SHOWER HEAD TO COVER PORTIONS OF THE ELONGATED SLOT WHICH WOULD OTHER WISE BE EXPOSED, AND FRICTION CLUTCH MEANS WITHIN THE   CASING TO HOLD THE SHOWER HEAD IN SELECTED ADJUSTED POSITION.

Nov. 2, 1971 o. T. DAVIS 3,616,466

' ADJUSTABLE SHOWER HEAD Filed Feb. 26. 1970 4 Sheej s-j'Sheet 1 mvmwon OLIVER THU RSTON DAVIS Nov. 2, 1971 0. T. DAVIS 3,616,466

ADJUSTABLE SHOWER HEAD Filed Feb. 26; 1970 4 Sheets-Sheet 8 I v 4 26 a mvmwon OLIVER THURSTON DAVIS Nov. 2, 1:971 o. T. DAVIS 3,616,466

ADJUSTABLE SHOWER HEAD Filed m. 26, 1970 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 I INYEN'IOR I OLIVER THURSTON DAVIS Nov. 2, 1-971 0. T. DAVIS 3,516,463

ADJUSTABLE SHOWER HEAD I Filed Feb. 26. 1970 4 S ee'ts-Sheet INVENTOR OLIVER 'II'HURSTON DAVIS United States Patent (like 3,616,466 ADJUSTABLE SHOWER HEAD A shower head vertically adjustable as to height within a range for use by children and tall adults which includes an elongated casing having an'elongated slot for the projecting shower head in its sidewall which faces the rear of the shower stall so that the casing as viewed from the front of the shower stall presents an unbroken attractive appearance; extendable and retractable tape means movable with the shower head to cover portions of the elongated slot which would otherwise be exposed; and friction clutch means within the casing to hold the shower head in selected adjusted position.

The present invention relates to improvements in adjustable shower heads and is concerned, more particularly, with novel structure for adapting a conventional shower head for vertical adjustment over a relatively wide range for efficient use by children as well as adults.

Another object of the invention is to provide an elongated casing for housing connecting and operating parts of the device, the casing having an elongated slot for the projecting shower head in its sidewall which faces the rear of the shower stall so that the casing as viewed from the front of the shower stall presents an unbroken attractive appearance. The invention provides for mounting of the elongated casing upon the upright shower stall wall with either end thereof uppermost so that the slotted sidewall will face the rear wall of the shower stall whether the shower is at the rightand or left hand side of the stall.

As will be apparent, portions of the elongated slot will be exposed, usually both above and below the fixed adjusted position of the shower head, and another object of the invention is to provide tape or like sheet means anchored at one end to the shower head and movable therewith and secured at the other end to take-up or let-out roller means at opposed end portions of the casing. Such tape means are of greater width than the slot and provide a complete covering for the exposed portions of the slot for protection of the interior of the casing as well as an attractive finished appearance.

The invention also contemplates for the provision of sliding friction clutch means within the casing for holding the shower head in selected adjusted position.

As a further feature of the invention, the casing is adapted to be mounted in a horizontal position with the shower head depending from its bottom sidewall for convenience of use by disabled or aged persons, for example, unable to stand upright in a shower stall.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the principles of the invention has been selected for exemplification.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a combination bath and shower stall, showing the adjustable shower head of the invention attached in opertive position;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged rear perspective view of the adjustable shower head shown in FIG. 1 but with the shower head removed and showing, where broken away 3,616,466 Patented Nov. 2, 1971 and is broken lines, interior parts of the casing or hous- FIG. 3 is a rear fragmentary view of FIG. 2 partially broken away;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged exploded view of the parts shown in the broken away portion of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged asembled view of the parts shown in FIG. 4 fragmented also to show the connection of the shower head to the existing stationary water supply;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of an end portion of the casing and the unassembled end plate;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of FIG. 6 but showing the end plate assembled;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of a modified form of shower head mount; and

FIG. 9 is a front perspective view of the adjustable shower head of the present invention mounted in horizontal position when desired.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein like numerals refer to like parts, the adjustable shower head of the invention comprises an elongated casing or housing having a front wall 10, opposed sidewalls 12 and 14, respectively, and a rear wall 16. The front Wall 10 and one of the sidewalls 12 are unbroken and of attractive appearance. The rear wall 1 6 is slotted at both end portions as indicated at 18 to accommodate the existing water supply conduit 20, after the existing shower head has been removed, so that the casing may make flat contact with the shower stall upright wall. The sidewall 14 is provided with an elongated slot 22 for sliding movement of the adjustable shower head as will hereinafter be described. The slotted end portions 18. in the rear wall 16 enable the casing to be mounted with either end thereof uppermost so that the slotted sidewall 14 will always face toward the rear wall of the shower stall whether the shower is at the righthand or lefthand side of the stall. The length of the slots 18 also permits certain vertical adjustment when the casing is mounted on the shower stall walls.

Thus, the adjustable shower head as contemplated by the present invention is unobtrusively positioned when viewed from the front of the shower stall and yet is efiiciently functional in any selected vertical position.

For securing the casing to the shower stall wall, the rear wall is apertured adjacent its opposed ends, as indicated at 24, for the reception of screws or the like actuated through the open ends of the casing. For closing or capping the open ends of the casing, end plates 26 and toggle screws 28 may be provided as best shown in FIG. 7.

An elongated flexible hose 30 for conducting water from the supply conduit 20 to the outer vertically adjustable shower head 32 is connected at one end to the conduit 20 by a tightly fitted nipple 34 and at its opposite end to the entrance conduit 36 of a shower head mount 38. Clamps 40 look the nipple 34 and the conduit 35 to the hose 30 in leakproof engagement. It will be apparent that the conduit 36 is capable of turning movement, when desired, to provide for adjustment of the vertical angle of the shower head mount 38 in addition to the universal adjustment of the shower head 32 which may be a standard shower head, for example the one removed from the shower stall prior to installation of the present invention.

A modified form of shower head mount 42 which widens the angle of the shower head 32 and which may be preferred in some instances is shown in FIG. 8.

For maintaining the shower head 32 in any selected vertically adjusted position friction clutch means are provided preferably in the form of a clutch plate 44. As shown best in FIGS. 4 and 5, the plate 44 is provided with opposed grooves 46 for receiving the end wall portions of 3 the sidewall 14 which define the elongated slot 22. The plate 44 is centrally apertured as at 48 to receive the lateral conduit 36 of the shower head mount 38 and is movable in the slot 22 as the mount and shower head 32 are manually shifted to desired vertical position.

The clutch plate 44 is preferably formed of compressible-expansible resilient material, a number of well-known plastic materials, for example, having suitable characteristics being readily available. The plate 44, thus, is readily slidable along the walls defining the slot 22 when manual pressure is exerted upon the shower head but when stationary in selected position of the shower head expands to increase frictional contact suflicient to hold the shower head in fixed position.

For covering the open areas of the elongated slot 22 above and below the shower head mount 38 pliant sheet material in the form of tapes or the like 50 of greater width than that of the slot 22 are secured by apertures 52 on one end to the conduit 36 of the shower head mount 3-8 so as to be movable therewith for extension or retraction. The opposite ends of the tapes 50 are secured to take-up or let-out roller means indicated in their entireties at 54, mounted at opposed end portions of the casing. The tapes 50 are preferably formed of plastic material tensioned on one side and which tends to retract and roll upon itself when in normal position so that any slack in the tapes is prevented. The exposed portions of both the upper and lower tapes, accordingly, remain taut and flat and provide a complete covering for the open areas of the slot 22 for protection of the interior of the casing and for decorative purposes if desired. A holding plate 56 may bear against the tapes 50 to maintain them in proper position.

As another important advantage of the sidewall mounted shower head of the invention, the device is adapted for mounting in a horizontal position as shown in FIG. 9. The spray is thus directed downwardly and outwardly at any angle selected by swivel adjustment of the shower head 32 and in any selected transverse position for the benefit of disabled or aged persons, in hospitals or nursing homes for example, who are unable to stand in an upright shower stall. Such persons can be exposed to the horizontal shower while sitting in a wheel chair or other special seat and by adjustment of the shower head all parts of the body may be bathed while sitting in one position.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not confined to the particular construction and arrangement of parts herein illustrated and described but embraces all such modifications thereof as may come within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. An adjustable shower head which comprises, an elongated casing adapted to be mounted upon the wall of a shower stall,

Cir

the said elongated casing being substantially rectangular in cross-section and having a front wall, a rear wall and opposed sidewalls, said opposed sidewalls being adapted to be substantially perpendicular to the wall of the shower stall upon which the casing is to be mounted, said front and rear walls being opposed to each other and adapted to be substantially parallel to said shower stall wall,

an elongated slot in one of said sidewalls, and

a shower head extending outwardly through said elongated slot and movable lengthwise of said slot to selected adjusted position.

2. The shower head of claim 1 additionally including means for mounting the elongated casing upon the shower stall wall with either end of the casing uppermost so that the shower head extends toward the rear wall of the stall whether the shower is at the righthand or lefthand side of the stall.

3. The shower head of claim 1 additionally including means for maintaining the shower head in selected adjusted position.

4. The shower head of claim 3 wherein the maintaining means is a friction clutch means.

5. The shower head of claim 4 wherein the friction clutch means is secured to the shower head and is movable in the elongated slot along with the movable shower head.

6. The shower head of claim 1 additionally including extendable and retractable flexible tape means movable with the movable shower head and the said tape means being disposed adjacent to the inner sidewalls of the casing which define the elongated slot and being Wider than the slot so as to cover the exposed portions of the slot.

7. The shower head of claim 6 wherein the flexible tape means is formed of tensioned plastic material and additionally including tape take-up and let-out roller means mounted within the casing adjacent opposed end portions of the elongated slot.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,496,520 2/1950 Daniel 4--145 2,685,093 8/1954 Lundquist 4l45 2,697,839 12/1954 Jackson 4-145 3,005,995 10/1961 Bickford 4145 3,048,851 8/1962 Bickford 4-145 HERBERT F. ROSS, Primary Examiner H. K. ARTIS, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 4-148 

